Entertainment
The Documentary That Got Too Close to Wagner’s Killing Machine — and What Its Director Warns Is Coming Next for Democracy: ‘Mercenary Armies Are What States Turn to When…’
Hell’s Army filmmaker Richard Rowley spent years chasing the world’s most feared private military force across three continents. What he found should terrify every democracy on the planet.
There are documentaries that inform. There are documentaries that disturb. And then there are documentaries that feel like a warning siren that nobody in power wants to hear.
Hell’s Army — premiering at CPH:DOX, one of the world’s most respected documentary film festivals — falls firmly into the third category. Directed by veteran conflict journalist and filmmaker Richard Rowley, the film pulls back the curtain on the Wagner Group: the Russian private military company that became the Kremlin’s most deniable, most brutal, and most effective weapon — deployed across Africa, the Middle East, and the killing fields of Ukraine.
It is not comfortable viewing. It was not comfortable making.
The Army That Wasn’t Supposed to Exist
For years, the Wagner Group operated in a strange legal and political grey zone. Russia officially denied its existence. Western governments tracked it with growing alarm but struggled to respond. On the ground — in Mali, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Central African Republic, and eventually the trenches of eastern Ukraine — Wagner fighters were doing the kind of work that regular armies either couldn’t do or wouldn’t admit to doing.
They were enforcers. They were coup-enablers. They were, by multiple credible accounts, perpetrators of massacres.
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Founded and commanded by Yevgeny Prigozhin — the St. Petersburg caterer turned warlord who built a private empire with Vladimir Putin‘s blessing — Wagner grew from a shadowy band of veterans into a force estimated at its peak to number 50,000 fighters. It recruited from Russian prisons, offering pardons in exchange for frontline service. It operated with near-total impunity.
Then, in June 2023, came the moment that shocked the world: Prigozhin led a short-lived mutiny against Russia’s military leadership, marching his forces toward Moscow before standing down in a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Two months later, Prigozhin was dead — his private plane shot out of the sky in what virtually every analyst described as a Kremlin-ordered assassination, though Moscow has denied involvement.
Wagner didn’t die with him. It evolved, rebranded, and kept moving.
Richard Rowley’s Dangerous Chase
Richard Rowley is not a filmmaker who shoots from a safe distance. His previous work — including the Oscar-shortlisted Dirty Wars, made alongside journalist Jeremy Scahill — established him as one of the most fearless documentarians working in conflict journalism today. He goes where the story is, regardless of the personal cost.
For Hell’s Army, that meant following Wagner’s trail across multiple continents, interviewing survivors of Wagner operations, former fighters, intelligence officials, and the kinds of sources who speak only in whispers and rarely on camera.
What Rowley found was not simply a story about a mercenary army. It was a story about a new model of power — one that democracies are dangerously unprepared to confront.
“Mercenary armies are what states turn to when they’ve been taken over by oligarchs and authoritarians,” Rowley has said in discussing the film. The line lands like a stone dropped in still water. The ripples, he implies, reach far beyond Russia.
Why This Is Bigger Than Wagner
To watch Hell’s Army purely as a film about Russia would be to miss its most unsettling argument.
Rowley‘s documentary positions the Wagner Group not as an anomaly — a uniquely Russian aberration — but as a symptom. A preview. A blueprint that other actors, in other countries, are already studying.
The privatisation of military force is not new. Blackwater — the American private military contractor that became infamous after the 2007 Nisour Square massacre in Baghdad — demonstrated years ago that governments could outsource violence while maintaining plausible deniability. What Wagner perfected was doing this on a geopolitical scale, with the explicit backing of a nuclear state, in service of an authoritarian project to redraw the world order.
The model works. That is the terrifying conclusion of the film.
In Mali and Burkina Faso, Wagner arrived after military coups and positioned itself as a security guarantee — in exchange for mining rights, political loyalty, and the freedom to operate without oversight. In Libya, Wagner fighters were documented operating sophisticated weapons systems in violation of UN arms embargoes. In Ukraine, Wagner assault units absorbed catastrophic casualties at Bakhmut — feeding recruited prisoners into a meat grinder while Russia’s regular military regrouped.
At every turn, the Group operated in the space between official accountability and outright war.
The Prigozhin Question
No film about Wagner can avoid grappling with the strange, operatic arc of Yevgeny Prigozhin himself — a man who went from running a St. Petersburg catering business to commanding one of the most consequential private armies in modern history, before dying in a plane crash that the entire world understood to be a murder, even if no one could officially say so.
Prigozhin was a paradox: simultaneously Putin’s instrument and, ultimately, a threat to Putin’s authority. His brief mutiny in 2023 — the March of Justice, as he called it — was the most direct challenge to Kremlin power in the Putin era. That it collapsed within 24 hours, and that Prigozhin was dead within two months, tells its own story about the limits of loyalty in authoritarian systems.
Rowley’s documentary, by all accounts, doesn’t sensationalise this arc. It contextualises it — asking not just what Prigozhin was, but what his rise and fall reveals about the system that created him.
A Warning About Where We Are Headed
The most haunting aspect of Hell’s Army may be its implied question: is this the future?
At a time when NATO allies are debating defence spending, when democratic institutions in multiple countries face unprecedented pressure, when the very concept of state accountability for military action is being tested — the Wagner model represents something genuinely new and genuinely dangerous.
Private armies answerable not to citizens, not to constitutions, not to international law, but to oligarchs and the interests of consolidated power. Forces that can be deployed, denied, and disappeared. Soldiers who exist outside the Geneva Convention’s reach — at least in practice, if not in theory.
Richard Rowley has made a film that refuses to let its audience feel safely removed from this story. Wagner operated far away, in places many Western viewers might struggle to find on a map. But the forces that created it — the collapse of institutional accountability, the rise of oligarchic power, the weaponisation of deniability — are not contained to any one geography.
They are, the film argues, a direction of travel. And the destination is not somewhere any democracy should want to arrive.
Hell’s Army is currently screening at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. Daily Global Diary will continue to track its international release.
Entertainment
How ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Returned to Cinemas and Reclaimed Box Office Glory
Renewed ticket sales send Marvel’s 2019 finale past ‘Avatar’ to lead the all-time global chart again.
Seven years after its original release, Avengers: Endgame has unfinished business at the box office.
The Marvel Studios blockbuster has overtaken James Cameron’s Avatar to become the highest-grossing film worldwide once again. According to The Walt Disney Company’s October 4 announcement, Endgame now holds an estimated $2.9255 billion, narrowly ahead of Avatar’s $2.9237 billion. That puts just $1.8 million between two of cinema’s biggest hits.
The lead is small. The comeback, however, is substantial: a film released in 2019 has drawn enough fresh ticket sales to rewrite the all-time chart.
The ‘Encore’ release that tipped the balance
The latest theatrical run, titled Avengers Endgame: Encore, has earned $126 million worldwide, according to TheWrap. That includes $36.2 million in North America and $89.8 million from international markets—the extra business that pushed the film back into first place.
Audiences also had a reason to return beyond revisiting a familiar blockbuster. TheWrap reports that the reissue features a modified ending and three new scenes during and after the credits, connected to Avengers: Doomsday. The release therefore serves two purposes: bringing an established favourite back to cinemas and giving viewers a bridge to the next Avengers story.
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A rivalry with a history of reversals
This is another change of leadership in a box office contest that has lasted for years.
Endgame first displaced Avatar in 2019. Cameron’s science-fiction epic regained the crown following its Chinese re-release in 2021. Now, another theatrical return has swung the result in Marvel’s favour. Re-releases have become a decisive part of the competition, extending both films’ earning lives well beyond their original runs.
The distinction matters: this is the record for worldwide theatrical revenue without adjustment for inflation, including re-release earnings. It measures money collected rather than the number of tickets sold.
Why ‘Endgame’ matters to ‘Doomsday’
The timing gives Marvel’s comeback an added significance. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to reach cinemas on December 18, 2026, and Disney has positioned Endgame as an important foundation for that next chapter.
Explaining the connection, Anthony Russo said: “You really need to pick the story up from where you left it in Endgame.”
That makes this return more than a victory lap. A film remembered for closing a major chapter of Marvel’s story is now helping introduce the next one—and, along the way, has taken back Hollywood’s most closely watched box office title.
Entertainment
Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Faces a Tough Opening: Could ‘Verity’ Take the Lead?
Cruise’s star power meets a fresh box office challenge as the Colleen Hoover adaptation emerges as a formidable rival.
Tom Cruise has spent years persuading audiences to watch him attempt the impossible. With Digger, the challenge is different: convincing moviegoers to embrace an eccentric, darkly comic character who bears little resemblance to his familiar action heroes.
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film arrives in US cinemas on October 2, 2026, carrying considerable expectations. Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon confronting a catastrophe connected to his company’s actions. It is a conspicuous departure for an actor whose recent screen identity has been shaped by spectacular stunts and blockbuster franchises.
Yet the conversation before release has increasingly turned from Cruise’s transformation to a more uncomfortable question: how many people will buy a ticket?
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A costly film facing a modest opening
According to Koimoi’s September 30 report, Digger was tracking for a North American opening below $15 million, against a reported production cost of approximately $125 million. These are reported estimates, rather than confirmed earnings or a final accounting of the film’s costs.
That gap explains the concern surrounding Warner Bros.. An expensive production needs sustained attendance, and a subdued debut would place greater pressure on subsequent weekends and overseas markets.
An opening forecast cannot establish a film’s eventual profit or loss. It can, however, reveal how much work remains for the campaign.
Reviews have complicated the pitch
The critical response has been sharply divided. People reported reactions ranging from admiration for the film’s audacity and Cruise’s commitment to criticism of its scale, coherence and tone.
For potential ticket buyers, that creates an uncertain proposition. Cruise’s presence attracts attention, but attention does not automatically translate into enthusiasm for an unfamiliar kind of film.
The promotional campaign has leaned into that disagreement. The Guardian described advertising that places harsh reactions alongside praise, using the controversy itself to generate interest. Whether that approach encourages curiosity or deepens hesitation remains an open question.
Why ‘Verity’ makes the weekend more intriguing
The Hollywood Reporter expects Digger to open substantially behind Verity, the Amazon MGM Studios adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel. hollywoodreporter.com
Starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, Verity is also scheduled to open on October 2. Its psychological-thriller premise centres on a writer who discovers a disturbing manuscript while completing another author’s book series.
From a marketing perspective, an established novel and a recognisable thriller setup could offer a more immediate hook. Digger, by comparison, asks audiences to take a greater leap into unfamiliar territory.
The audience verdict is still ahead
Cruise has clearly committed to that leap. At the London premiere, Reuters reported that his transformation involved prosthetics and a padded bodysuit, alongside a demanding performance.
The commercial outcome remains unresolved. Strong audience recommendations could give Digger momentum beyond its initial forecasts. A weak response would make its financial challenge harder.
For now, the film’s biggest suspense lies beyond the screen: whether curiosity about Cruise’s unusual gamble becomes an opening-weekend ticket purchase.
Entertainment
‘Verity’ Could Outopen ‘Digger’: Why Tom Cruise Faces a Tough Contest
The competing releases raise a compelling question: which film will persuade more audiences to buy a ticket?
Tom Cruise has spent years persuading audiences to watch him attempt the impossible. With Digger, the challenge is different: convincing moviegoers to embrace an eccentric, darkly comic character who bears little resemblance to his familiar action heroes.
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film arrives in US cinemas on October 2, 2026, carrying considerable expectations. Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon confronting a catastrophe connected to his company’s actions. It is a conspicuous departure for an actor whose recent screen identity has been shaped by spectacular stunts and blockbuster franchises.
Yet the conversation before release has increasingly turned from Cruise’s transformation to a more uncomfortable question: how many people will buy a ticket?
ALSO READ : Emmy Nominations Announcement Gets a Star Twist… Liza Colón-Zayas & Jeff Hiller Set to Reveal 2026 TV Nominees
A costly film facing a modest opening
According to Koimoi’s September 30 report, Digger was tracking for a North American opening below $15 million, against a reported production cost of approximately $125 million. These are reported estimates, rather than confirmed earnings or a final accounting of the film’s costs.
That gap explains the concern surrounding Warner Bros.. An expensive production needs sustained attendance, and a subdued debut would place greater pressure on subsequent weekends and overseas markets.
An opening forecast cannot establish a film’s eventual profit or loss. It can, however, reveal how much work remains for the campaign.
Reviews have complicated the pitch
The critical response has been sharply divided. People reported reactions ranging from admiration for the film’s audacity and Cruise’s commitment to criticism of its scale, coherence and tone.
For potential ticket buyers, that creates an uncertain proposition. Cruise’s presence attracts attention, but attention does not automatically translate into enthusiasm for an unfamiliar kind of film.
The promotional campaign has leaned into that disagreement. The Guardian described advertising that places harsh reactions alongside praise, using the controversy itself to generate interest. Whether that approach encourages curiosity or deepens hesitation remains an open question.
Why ‘Verity’ makes the weekend more intriguing
The Hollywood Reporter expects Digger to open substantially behind Verity, the Amazon MGM Studios adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel. hollywoodreporter.com
Starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, Verity is also scheduled to open on October 2. Its psychological-thriller premise centres on a writer who discovers a disturbing manuscript while completing another author’s book series.
From a marketing perspective, an established novel and a recognisable thriller setup could offer a more immediate hook. Digger, by comparison, asks audiences to take a greater leap into unfamiliar territory.
The audience verdict is still ahead
Cruise has clearly committed to that leap. At the London premiere, Reuters reported that his transformation involved prosthetics and a padded bodysuit, alongside a demanding performance.
The commercial outcome remains unresolved. Strong audience recommendations could give Digger momentum beyond its initial forecasts. A weak response would make its financial challenge harder.
For now, the film’s biggest suspense lies beyond the screen: whether curiosity about Cruise’s unusual gamble becomes an opening-weekend ticket purchase.
How ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Returned to Cinemas and Reclaimed Box Office Glory
Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Faces a Tough Opening: Could ‘Verity’ Take the Lead?
‘Verity’ Could Outopen ‘Digger’: Why Tom Cruise Faces a Tough Contest
‘Endgame’ Returns to No. 1 ‘Avatar’ Loses Its Box Office Throne
Mark Zuckerberg Faces a New Hollywood Reckoning Why Aaron Sorkin’s Film Hits Closer to Home
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